From the Chinese Russian co production film Red Silk, which made a box office success in Russia, to the shocking debut of the new opera Eugene Onegin, which was jointly created by artists of the two countries, from the "popular" celebration of the Chinese Spring Festival in Moscow, the Russian capital, to the Russian traditional meat thank-you festival held in many places in China, the China Russia cultural exchange activities, which are diverse, rich in content and thriving, have become an important link to deepen bilateral relations, promote mutual learning of civilizations and promote people to people communication. The year 2024-2025 is the "China Russia Cultural Year". Hundreds of wonderful cultural exchange activities are vigorously carried out in both countries. Cultural feasts build bridges of communication one by one, and effectively promote people of both countries to know each other. My name is Maria and I am learning Chinese. Nice to meet you. ”At the bank of the Moscow River, a girl came up to her. After confirming that the reporter was Chinese in Russian, she switched to Chinese to introduce herself. Maria is a sophomore in the Law Department of Moscow University, studying Chinese and Chinese culture in her spare time. She smiled and said that her Chinese was not very good, only knowing some everyday language. In her opinion, Chinese characters are beautiful and full of charm, and Chinese culture is rich and colorful. Her dream is to continue her studies in the field of Chinese. Nowadays, walking through the streets and alleys of Moscow, one can often hear warm and friendly Chinese greetings. "Hello", "Are you Chinese", "Welcome", "Goodbye"... Seeing Asian faces, many Russian people will take the initiative to say hello in Chinese. Ilya Gujing, a PhD in history from the Moscow Institute of International Relations, is also a Chinese language teacher. He said that Chinese language and culture are becoming increasingly popular in Russia, thanks to the deepening cooperation in the field of education between the two sides, which cannot be separated from the policy support and guarantee of the two governments. It is reported that there are currently over 140 universities and more than 220 primary and secondary schools in Russia offering Chinese language courses. In addition, there are 19 Confucius Institutes, 5 Confucius Classrooms, and other educational institutions engaged in Chinese language teaching. In 2019, the Russian government included Chinese as a foreign language subject in the national unified examination. About 110000 people across Russia are learning Chinese. The number of applicants for the Russian Chinese Proficiency Test has been increasing year by year, and activities such as the "Chinese Bridge" are quite popular in Russia. In China, there are over 180 universities offering Russian language majors, with approximately 120000 students studying Russian in primary, secondary, and tertiary schools. At the same time, the two countries have jointly created cooperation brands such as the "China Russia Top 10 Joint Talent Training Program", the "China Russia Joint Science and Education Center Construction Plan", and the "China Russia Similar University Alliance Development Plan", supporting universities to carry out joint education projects, expanding the scale of two-way study abroad exchanges, jointly organizing summer schools for college students, carrying out vocational education cooperation, etc., to promote youth exchanges and exchanges between the two countries. Language is the bridge of communication, and learning Russian and Chinese is the foundation for expanding cooperation in various fields between the two countries. ”Gu Jing said that the "Russia China Cultural Year" provides new opportunities for cultural exchanges and educational cooperation between the two countries. The art exchange showcases the beauty of cultural integration. The Chinese original dance drama "Wing Chun" was recently performed at the Moscow Grand Theatre in Russia. The beauty of the fusion of Chinese Kung Fu and dance has won prolonged applause from Russian audiences and has also attracted widespread attention and high praise from Russian media. According to a report by the BRICS television station in Russia, the dance drama "Wing Chun" moved the audience with its lively rhythm and delicate and abundant emotional expression. Russian audiences further understand Wing Chun, a unique and charming Chinese martial arts genre, through this work. The All Russian State Television Broadcasting Company reported that the dance drama "Wing Chun", as an important event of the "Russia China Cultural Year", tells a legendary story and cultural heritage through a dual narrative, reflecting the profound heritage and artistic charm of Chinese traditional culture. In recent years, a "Chinese style" has swept through the field of Russian cultural performances. The play "I Am Not Pan Jinlian" directed by a Chinese director and starring Russian actors has been performed multiple times at the Moscow State Ethnic Theater; The performance of "Ode to the Red Flag" by the orchestra of the National Centre for the Performing Arts echoes at the Zaryaj Park Concert Hall near Red Square in Moscow; The dance poetic drama "The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting" appeared at the Malinski Theater in Vladivostok... Many Chinese works entered Russia and shone on foreign stages. At the same time, a batch of classic Russian art works bloomed on the Chinese stage: ballets such as "Swan Lake," "Sleeping Beauty," and "The Nutcracker" brought authentic "Russian aesthetics; The plays, ballets, and musicals derived from classic Russian literary works such as Anna Karenina and War and Peace are refreshing; The Central Opera House of China and Russian artists reinterpret the classic opera "Eugene Onegin" from a contemporary perspective, giving literary classics a timeless artistic vitality and showcasing the collision and integration of cultures between the two countries. Wang Ning, president of the National Grand Theater of China, said that many high-level Russian art groups came to China to perform, which not only brought the essence of Russian culture to Chinese audiences, but also provided opportunities for Russian artists to feel and understand China. Alexander Rezensky, Dean of the Gneisin Conservatory of Music in Russia, said that both Russia and China have a long history and splendid culture. The art exchange deepens the intuitive understanding of the two peoples on each other's culture and closes the distance between the two peoples through visual, auditory and other sensory enjoyment. It may sound unbelievable to come and go abroad for breakfast before returning home like visiting relatives, but it has become a daily routine in Heihe City, Heilongjiang Province. Black River faces the capital of Amur Oblast in Russia, Blagoveshchensk, across the river. Every morning, many Russians "form groups" to visit the morning market and shop in Heihe City, taste deep-fried dough sticks, soybean milk, Tea egg, egg burgers and other northeast characteristic breakfasts, and have also developed a way of eating "steamed stuffed buns with beer" with Russian characteristics. I just went to see a dentist and bought some daily necessities. Now I'm planning to find a restaurant for lunch and get home by boat in about 10 minutes, which is very convenient. ”Yekaterina, who lives in Blagoveshchensk, said. She said that she often comes to Heihe, and although she doesn't speak Chinese, clear Russian signs can be seen everywhere here. Many vendors also speak some simple Russian, so communication is not a problem. In recent years, with the convenience of transportation and visas, the number of Russian tourists traveling to China has continued to grow. Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Sanya, Chengdu, Qinhuangdao... The list of Chinese tourist must visit cities in the minds of Russian people is becoming longer and longer. As Russian tourists indulge in the beautiful scenery and delicious food of China, more Chinese tourists also go to various scenic spots in Russia to "check in" and "weed out". According to data released by the Russian Tourism Industry Alliance, the number of Chinese tourists to Russia reached 848000 in 2024, which is 4.2 times that of 2023. In addition to Moscow and St. Petersburg, cities such as Murmansk, Novosibirsk, and Irkutsk have also welcomed more Chinese tourists. For the convenience of Chinese tourists, some cities, airports, and major tourist attractions in Russia have Chinese signage, and some "internet famous restaurants" have also thoughtfully arranged Chinese menus. The opening of direct flights between multiple cities in the two countries has boosted the enthusiasm of tourists from both countries to travel in both directions. Under the framework of the "Sino Russian Cultural Year", Moscow has organized a series of celebrations during the Chinese Spring Festival for two consecutive years, including Chinese food tasting, tea art performances, dragon and lion dances, calligraphy and painting, Paper Cuttings master classes, etc. Natalia Sergunina, deputy mayor of Moscow, said, "We hope to further attract Chinese tourists in this way, to gain the unforgettable experience of celebrating festivals in foreign countries, and to let Moscow citizens immerse themselves in Chinese culture." "During the" Russia China Cultural Year ", our two peoples have the opportunity to deeply understand each other's traditional arts and cultural heritage. ”Boris Titov, the Russian chairman of the China Russia Friendship, Peace and Development Commission, said that the Cultural Year stressed the importance of dialogue and understanding between different cultural traditions, which would help enhance mutual understanding and respect between the two peoples and inject new impetus into the friendship between the two countries from generation to generation. (New Society)